


fake/real

by bewilderedmoth



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Wishverse (Once Upon a Time), nothing against outlawqueen it just couldn't happen in this fic, this is...very niche I know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:34:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29907393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bewilderedmoth/pseuds/bewilderedmoth
Summary: "Robin watched on in awe as the portal finally shrunk away, leaving only the empty wardrobe in view. He had made his choice. Whilst the possibility of re-opening the portal was still an option, he was loath to change his mind so soon. That fleeting twinge of regret he had felt as he watched the portal vanish would have to remain just that; Fleeting."AU where Wish!Robin doesn't go through the wardrobe with Regina and fate runs a very different course of events within the Wish Realm.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 2





	fake/real

**Author's Note:**

> Fully aware that this is a fic highly niche and specific to my own interests and mine alone... but if even one other person gets some enjoyment out of it as well I'd be over the moon. :')
> 
> Characters have been given their regular tags but every character mentioned (bar Regina and Emma at the very start) is the wish realm version of themselves. 
> 
> Technically, this is an ensemble fic with a handful of different main characters at its heart. In theory, there should be a pretty balanced amount of screentime for each of them. However, if I was forced to pick a key central character...Then I would describe this fanfic as a Pinocchio centric fic, masquerading as a Robin centric fic. 
> 
> You don't have to have watched a single episode of ouatiw to understand this fic. However, there will be a couple of minor spoilers. If you were planning to watch the spinoff spoiler-free then maybe do so before reading.
> 
> Some lines in this chapter taken from S6 EP11 "Tougher than the Rest", and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland's S1 EP3 "Forget Me Not". Obviously spoilers for both episodes.

Robin couldn’t see Regina as she whispered to Princess Emma about him, but he could hear her. Stepping back over towards the door and pretending that he was far more interested in the floorboards beneath his feet had only ever been a courtesy on Robin’s behalf. Regina’s voice, more than loud enough for the entire room to hear, meant Robin was only really pretending not to eavesdrop on an inescapable conversation.

"...This place was created by a wish,” Regina continued in a soft voice. “How could a wish become real?" 

"Maybe it can,” the princess returned. “The feather...Robin's soul had to go somewhere, maybe that's why he hasn't aged, why he's different. If you believe any part of him is in there, why walk away?"

"Because, Emma, it's me. And I'm afraid of tempting fate."

"No. We make our own fate. I did it and now it's your turn." 

"So..." Regina began before she was interrupted by Robin. 

He had known what he was going to say before she even asked the question.

"I can't." 

Regina's face fell.

"Oh," she said quietly. "I mean, of course. After all, we don't even know if you can actually go through the wardrobe." Regina was now fidgeting, clearly embarrassed and trying to reason with both Robin and herself. "And even if you did make it through, which is unlikely, it's a completely new land with completely new people. And you don't even know me! Not your version of you. I'm...I'm still the Evil Queen to you."

Robin smiled and gently placed a hand on Regina's arm. "I can see that you cared extremely deeply for your version of Robin. But, like you said, I'm not the same man as he. And, as miserable as it is, my life is here."

For the briefest of moments it looked as though Regina was about to hug him. For a moment, he thought he might do the same. 

She opted for gently touching his arm instead. 

"It was nice meeting you," she said.

"Likewise. Take care, Regina."

As she turned around to the portal she gave the woodcarver Pinocchio a quiet "thank you." He returned it with a smile and a tiny bow, before she hesitantly ducked her head and stepped through the portal.

Robin watched on in awe as the portal finally shrunk away, leaving only the empty wardrobe in view. He had made his choice. Whilst the possibility of re-opening the portal was still an option, he was loath to change his mind so soon. That fleeting twinge of regret he had felt as he watched the portal vanish would have to remain just that; Fleeting. 

"Well," Robin said, interrupting the awkward silence that had begun to fill the room, "I should probably head off. I've got an angry sheriff, and potentially, an angry Rumplestiltskin to be running away from." 

Pinocchio nodded and let out a small "of course," before gesturing a hand towards the doorway.

Robin turned to leave but paused just before his hand touched the door’s handle.

"Do you think it's true?" he queried, slowly turning to look back at the other man. "That we were all created on a wish. And that none of us are truly real."

Pinocchio seemed to consider Robin's question before he answered. 

"Perhaps," he said casually. “I mean, I never would have helped Princess Emma get back to her home if I didn't believe the things she was telling me about who she really is."

"But...you do believe we're still real, yes?" 

"You tell me," Pinocchio replied, unhelpfully. "Do you feel like a real boy?" 

Robin pulled a face. "A real grown man, thank you very much." 

Pinocchio gently shook his head and smiled to himself. "Urm, just a little joke between me and myself. What I mean is, isn't having thoughts and a consciousness enough to be real?" He paused for a moment. "This world might have been _created_ from a wish, but would that not just mean it brought us into existence? And, maybe I'm wrong but, how can someone travel to and from a place if it doesn't actually exist?"

"I suppose you do have a point there." 

"It was awfully strange though..." Pinocchio almost muttered. "When Princess Emma suggested that you were different to the rest of us in this…” He gave Robin a wry smile. “This wish realm, as she called it. That you hadn't aged?" 

"Oh, well, I can't say I'm sure about that. At least, if not looking as old as Regina says I should, makes me different, then it also likely makes several others rather different as well. Including The Sheriff of Nottingham. He and I..." Robin paused, unsure about how much of his past he was willing to reveal to a perfect stranger. "It's a complicated tale. Nottingham has been chasing me down for a long time now..."

"And how exactly does this complicated story go?" Pinocchio pressed him, interest clearly piqued.

"It's unimportant," Robin said tersely, deciding he'd already shared more than he had meant to. "What _is_ important is that Regina was wrong. I'm no different from you or anyone else born in this realm." 

Pinocchio moved a few paces towards the table and chairs to his right. He then adjusted himself so he was leaning slightly against the back of one of the chairs.

"Was that a part of the reason you decided to not go through the wardrobe?” he asked. “Knowing that you were just that same as everyone else in this realm? A new land sounds daunting anyway, but being uncertain if you'll even make it there..." he trailed off, gently tilting his head to the side as he waited for Robin’s reply. 

A little reluctantly, Robin gave a considered answer. 

"Well, whilst the thought of starting a new life in a new land _is_ rather daunting, that certainly wasn't the problem in this case. I've passed through several other realms in my time, but I always seem to end up back in the Enchanted forest. No, a new land, even one as different sounding as the one Regina briefly described, isn't a worry for me. It's more…" Robin trailed off, attempting to figure out how to properly phrase his next words." It's more to do with the other me. Regina, she told me that her version of Robin was some great hero. I can't live up to that. And I don't want to live in the shadow of a man that...That was some alternative version of myself.”

"You're not the same Robin she knew," Pinocchio interjected. 

"Exactly," he said with a shrug. "I don’t think I could stand the idea of being constantly compared to someone else. I don't want to simply be the replacement of a better version of myself." 

"Better?" 

"Well, he died some as some great folk hero," Robin said in a matter-of-fact way. "And what am I?" 

Pinocchio smiled.

"I think," he said, earnestly, "that you can be whatever you want to be. Recently, I had a revelation. One about fate. How it’s up to you to change your own." He shrugged ever so slightly. "So why not break away from those expectations and do just that?”

Robin rolled his eyes. After having lived life as a cynic for so long, the optimism spilling out of Pinocchio was nauseating. The eye roll, however, didn't deter the other man. 

"You say that you don’t want to live in his shadow, but it seems to me that you’re already forcing yourself to do exactly that. And you say that you do not want other people to compare that other Robin to you but it already looks as though you’re doing a pretty good job of comparing yourself without their help. Wh-” 

Before Pinocchio had the chance to impart whatever piece of advice he was surely going to give, the front door to the workshop came crashing open and the pair suddenly found themselves surrounded by a group of Nottingham's guards. 

On instinct, Robin had already drawn his quiver but he knew the effort was futile. There were at least four guards, and Nottingham himself, who had smugly entered through the front door only after his men had entered first. They were completely outnumbered. 

Once the initial shock of the intrusion had word off, a tension was left in the room that the sheriff dared to break with a quick laugh and a sadistic smile. 

"Looks as though you're under arrest, Locksley. Again." 

\---

_The Enchanted Forest_

_Around 33 years ago..._

"I will catch you one day Locksley. Don't you ever doubt that!" The Sheriff of Nottingham called out as Robin deftly made his way on horseback down the beaten road and away from Nottingham's carriage. A carriage that was now horseless, thanks to Robin.

He rode for nearly five more minutes down that path until he took a sharp left and headed off the track and through the woods into a clearing. In the centre of that clearing was another man, who was standing waiting next to two more horses. Hidden beneath an earthy green cloak, the man only lifted his hood as Robin dismounted his horse and walked over towards him.

"And how was that, then?" asked the man Robin knew as Will Scarlet. 

"A perfect distraction on your part,” Robin praised jovially as he came over to shake Will's hand in congratulations. "Nottingham never saw it coming."

\---

"Where is the Evil Queen?" Nottingham demanded.

Robin still hadn't lowered his bow. 

"Who can say?" Robin replied coolly. "Perhaps she's off somewhere with the Dark One, planning her revenge on you." 

Fear flashed across Nottingham's face for the briefest of moments before he shook it away with a smirk. 

"You're lying," he said, with only some confidence. 

"Am I?" replied an overly confident Robin. 

Nottingham turned to face Pinocchio. 

"You. Where did she go?" 

Pinocchio's expression was unreadable.

"I have no idea," he lied.

"Arrest them both," Nottingham said with a casual wave of his hand. 

"We haven't done anything!" Pinocchio insisted as one of the guards grabbed his arm. "What are you charging us with?" 

"He," said Nottingham, briefly directing his gaze to Robin, "has committed a list of crimes as long as my arm. And, I'm afraid to say that you're under arrest for aiding and abetting a wanted criminal. Also," he continued nonchalantly, as the guard now began to shackle Pinocchio's wrists, and two more guards began to tentatively inch towards Robin, "both of you are under suspicion of helping and harbouring a dangerous fugitive."

"Th-The _Evil Queen?"_ Pinocchio suggested. 

"See...I didn't even need to name names. Your chances of wiping away these accusations seem to be diminishing by the second."

Nottingham then turned to Robin.

"Lower your weapon, Locksley." 

"No," Robin said through gritted teeth.

"If you resist arrest I can order my men to kill you, you know. Oh!" he said, suddenly, pretending to be deep in thought, "And you never do know who else might get caught in the crossfire..." 

Nottingham glanced over to Pinocchio before staring back at Robin. 

"You're a malicious bastard."

"Lower. Your. Weapon."

For a couple of very long seconds, no one in the room moved. And then, slowly and reluctantly, Robin lowered his bow and arrow.

"That's a good boy," Nottingham patronised as one of the guards immediately grabbed a hold of Robin. "Take them away," he directed his men. "We'll question them more when they're both behind bars." 

\---

"I want them behind bars!" shouted Henry, slamming a fist down on the table. "Anyone that has helped the Evil Queen. And I want her found! But alive, so I can kill her myself. So I can-" Henry stumbled over his own words, "so I can get my revenge on her for taking away my family."

After a fruitless search for his mother and the Evil Queen, Henry had returned to the palace and called a council meeting between him and his most trusted. Now sat carefully around the circular table, the rest of the room waited patiently while Henry tried to decide on their next move.

"Yes, Your Highness," the head of the royal guard confirmed. "We've already sent men out towards the North side of the kingdom. They'll be asking every village they pass through about what they've seen or heard."

“Good,” Henry said, although his brow was still furrowed.

"We also have several smaller patrols closer to the castle, in case the Evil Queen comes back here and after you."

"No," Henry shook his head and pulled a face. "No, I'm not staying here. The only reason I came back here was to reassess the situation and make sure my gran-" Henry's words got caught in his throat. He tried again. "And make sure the King and Queen's bodies were safe and taken care of."

"Sire, with all due respect, it's not safe for you. This is the Evil Queen we're talking about. She-"

"Enough!" Henry cut him off. And then, more softly, "enough...I'm not going to sit by and do nothing. I'm going to find my mother and the Evil Queen. And that witch _will_ pay for what she's done."

Just in that moment someone new entered the room. From out of a partially opened window that was situated on the far side of the hall, the Blue Fairy fluttered into the circular space atop the table. Henry found his attention focused instantly on the fairy and no one else.

“You have news?” he asked with just a little too much hope in his voice.

She shook her head solemnly as she gently floated down to hover beside him. 

“It is not good news I’m afraid. The locator spells I have been trying to use to find Princess Emma are only leading to dead ends. The Evil Queen is likely using powerful magic to obscure their location.” 

Henry felt his heart sink. The Blue Fairy continued,

“And I’m sorry to say that I have more bad news.” She took a deep, despondent breath out. “We have just heard tell that Rumplestiltskin is no longer imprisoned. It is likely the Evil Queen was the one that freed him.” 

If Henry’s heart could sink any lower, it would have.

“Oh, great,” Grumpy muttered sarcastically under his breath, “now we can worry about two serial killers running around the Enchanted Forest.” 

“Killing the Evil Queen and finding my mother,” Henry insisted. “That’s the number one priority right now.”

“Of course,” Blue said gently, “but Rumplestiltskin should not be taken lightly. He wields twice the power that Regina does and if he wishes to use that power he could send the entire kingdom into ruins.” 

Grumbling once again, Grumpy voiced his muttered thoughts out loud,

“Good job we had him locked up for the past thirty years…”

“Precisely,” said Blue, turning to a slightly more sheepish looking Grumpy. The dwarf had clearly not expected anyone to respond to his comment. “I fear that he may be seeking revenge on those that imprisoned him.”

“Well, how did you stop him last time?” asked Henry.

“We used squid ink. It can entrap even the most powerful magic user for a short time. But it is notoriously difficult to come by and it will likely prove impossible to gain the opportunity to use it against him. It’s almost a certainty that he would be ready for the attack this time around.”

“We have to contain him again. There must be another way.”

“Couldn’t we banish him?” Stealthy suggested. “Like you did the Evil Queen?” 

The Blue fairy finally stopped hovering in the air and softly allowed herself to land on the table beside Jiminy. 

“It took all my power to do so,” she admitted with a downcast expression. “And the Dark One’s power is far stronger than hers ever was.” 

Henry paused in thought for a moment. His mind drifted back to something his mother mentioned many years ago. 

“The wardrobe,” he began. “The one made for my mother to use when it was feared the Dark Curse would be cast. Could we somehow use that? Or the magic within it? If we sent the Dark One to a place with no magic then he would have no way to return here and destroy the kingdom in any way.” 

Grumpy made a scoffing noise. 

“Oh sure,” he drawled. “We’ll just ask the Dark One really nicely if he wants to step inside the damn thing. That’ll trick him.” He cleared his throat and then, as though he suddenly remembered who he was talking to, added a reluctant, “Your Highness…”

Blue and Jiminy seemed to share a short but meaningful glance with one another. Looking back to Henry, Blue spoke again.

“Unfortunately, even if we could somehow trick or convince him to go through the wardrobe…The wardrobe is unusable.”

“What? Why?” Henry asked.

“I’m afraid that it lost its magic many years ago now. If we could find another enchanted tree then a new one could be made…But if the Dark One catches wind of what we’re doing then he will surely attempt to stop us. Or he may even try to take the wardrobe for himself. We may do more harm than good by building a powerful device for him to use whenever he liked…” 

“Wait, how did it lose it’s magic?” Grumpy piped up once again. He had been his grandmother’s most trusted friend and advisor but the constant questions and complaints from him were beginning to wear thin on Henry’s patience. 

Before Henry or the Blue Fairy could reply, Grumpy attempted to answer his own question with a theory.

“Someone used it, right? I told Snow again and again that she should keep that wardrobe here at the palace!”

Jiminy fidgeted on his feet a little. 

“Is this really relevant to the discussion?” he asked. 

“Look,” Grumpy laid his hands flat on the table and continued talking in a matter-of-fact kind of way. “Geppetto was a good guy. We all liked him. But…I’m just saying…”

“Maybe you should actually think about what you’re 'just saying' before you regret any of it later.” Jiminy’s caution wasn’t a threat but a very defensive warning. Grumpy took no heed.

“Okay, maybe not him, but what about that son of his? Maybe not now but…When he was, you know… _younger,_ he was always poking his nose into other people’s business. If anyone was gonna-”

Incensed, Jiminy flew upwards off the table and landed a little closer to Grumpy himself. 

“If anyone is in the habit of poking their nose into people’s business, it’s you.” 

“He’s not wrong there,” Sneezy said with a grin, followed swiftly by a particularly loud sneeze. 

“Why are you defending him!” Grumpy snapped at his friend. 

At this, another of the dwarves took the opportunity to stick his own oar in. At then another. And soon the entire room was arguing and bickering with one another. As the noise built, Henry felt his own stress rising and rising.

And then he broke.

Without a single word, he stood up from the table and walked towards the door. The sudden movement caught the attention of almost everyone around the table and as quickly as it had started, the squabbling died down to a hush. Taking no notice of the uncertain “Sire?” that came from one of his knights, he marched out of the door and into the empty corridor.

\---

Hands bound in shackles and weapons removed, the pair were roughly thrown into cells next door to one another. 

"Funny, isn't it?" Nottingham gloated, as he finished locking the door to Robin's cell. "How neither the Evil Queen or the Dark One has come to your aid yet? " 

Robin, jaw clenched, refused to respond. 

"So, are either of you two going to tell me where the Evil Queen has disappeared to?" After a beat of silence, Nottingham continued. "No? Alright then, I'll try a different question. Where has the Princess been taken?" 

Both men still remained silent. Pinocchio looking anywhere in the room except at the sheriff. Robin staring at Nottingham with such intensity, it looked as though he was trying to kill the man through sheer willpower alone. 

"What, nothing to say?" Nottingham said, goading Robin on. "The great Robin of Locksley finally learns when to shut his trap."

Something snapped inside of Robin.

"I will kill you Nottingham,” he snarled. “When I get out of here -and trust me, I will- I am going to find you and I will kill you so slowly that you'll be begging for death."

Pinocchio tried to intervene.

"Robin, I don't think death threats are exactly helping the situation..."

"Perhaps you just need some time to think things over," said Nottingham, completely ignoring both men. "So, I'll tell you what... You can have till sunset to gather your thoughts. And if I don't receive an appropriate answer by then, well..." Nottingham feigned a sympathetic expression. "I may have to resort to much...harsher methods."

He then left Robin with one last smirk, before heading back up the corridor and around a corner and out of sight. 

The moment Nottingham had gone, Robin scrambled to his feet and over to the door. It only took a quick inspection of the lock for Robin to convince himself he could pick it. _If_ he had the right tools. And, after a slightly more thorough inspection of the rest of the prison cell, he discovered he had no such thing. Tired and frustrated; he kicked the wall behind him. 

"Why the _hell_ did I not just go through that bloody wardrobe!" he exclaimed. “And that was a rhetorical question,” he added. “Please don't attempt to answer it." 

Defeated, Robin slumped against the wall and slid down to the floor, burying his head in his hands with a groan. After staying like that for a few seconds, he then lifted his head again and relaxed it against the wall. Closing his eyes, he let out a noisy sigh. 

The momentary silence was broken by Pinocchio, as he spoke to Robin through the iron bars that divided the two cells. 

“Do you mind if I ask what it was you did to him?” 

Robin turned to look back at the woodcarver.

“Excuse me?” 

“The sheriff. He seems to have personal vendetta against you. Why are you in here?” 

“Thievery for the most part.”

Of course, this was only a half truth. Robin’s feud with Nottingham boiled down to far more than just thieving. But he wasn’t about to share that information with Pinocchio anytime soon.

“He’s really been chasing you for years...because you’re a thief?” Pinocchio asked with obvious scepticism.

“I think you know full well that there’s more to it than that,” Robin snapped. “And no, I will not be sharing that story with you today or any other.” 

“So, I suppose it doesn’t matter what you say to the sheriff when he returns later.” 

Robin let out a humourless laugh and went back to staring at a distant corner of the grubby prison wall.

"Precisely. Nottingham is itching to have me executed regardless, and will most certainly want me to suffer before I am. Whether I'm cooperative or not is irrelevant."

When Pinocchio didn't respond, Robin looked over at him and spoke again. "They won't execute _you_. I shouldn't worry about that." 

"I don’t know about that...” he said in an absent tone. “The sheriff didn't seem to mind the idea earlier; Killing me to get to you."

"He was bluffing," Robin said flatly. 

"Was he? I mean, he really didn't sound like-"

"Listen, having _me_ killed is one thing. Having _you,_ another. Nottingham gets away with a lot of things, on the sly, but having you murdered could be potentially very messy for him. _And"_ Robin continued, with a sarcastic smile, "you're an honest, hard-working man, with an honest business trade. Exactly the kind of person he loves to extort taxes from. And you can't tax a dead man, I'm afraid." 

Pinocchio didn't smile.

"Thank you," he said to Robin, after a moment's pause. 

"What on earth for?" 

"For not taking that risk, even though you thought he was bluffing."

"Well, I might be a thief and a scoundrel, but I'd rather not have the blood of an innocent man on my hands."

Robin shifted slightly in an attempt to find a more comfortable position.

"And anyway," he continued, "as proficient and nimble as I am, I can't say for certain that I would have made it out of there alive. Now" he muttered "I can die here instead." 

A third voice entered the conversation.

"Oh, I don't know about that, dearie."

\---

_The Enchanted Forest_

_Around 33 years ago..._

"So, did you get what you wanted?" Will asked

"Sadly not," replied Robin as he tied his new horse's reins to a nearby tree branch. "Although, I did manage to snag a reasonable handful of gold. And stealing his horse was certainly a bonus." 

"Never mind, mate. Always next time, eh?." 

Robin let out an exasperated sigh and sat down on a nearby fallen tree. 

"Perhaps." 

Will came and sat beside him, giving Robin a conspiratorial grin. 

"You know what can solve _all_ your problems?" 

Robin raised an eyebrow. 

"What?" 

"Gold. An' when I say gold, I _mean gold_ ." Will put an arm around Robin's shoulder "Think about it. Really _think_ about it. You can go anywhere. Pay off anyone. Do pretty much whatever you like. And I know exactly where we can get all the gold you could ever dream of." 

"And where on earth is this wealth of treasure coming from exactly?" 

"There's a place that sits on top of the Forbidden Mountain."

"No. No, Will, that is Maleficent's castle. She's a sorceress, and I do not deal with magic. No matter how much gold there is at stake."

"But we _won't_ be dealing with magic. Just the gold," Will confirmed. "We walk right on past all the other treasure she's got hidden away there and _just_ take the gold. She's got a chest of it tucked away in one of the walls. Behind a secret panel."

"And how exactly do you propose the two of us alone take on this quest?" Robin said, turning to face Will straight on. 

"I've got a plan. Admittedly, I would've preferred a larger group to help out, but at least with just the two of us we'll have stealth on our side. Maleficent isn't home, and she's not expected back for several days. And I'm confident we can slip on past her guards without them even noticin'. We make our approach at nightfall and return here with the gold, well before dawn."

Robin mused over the suggestion.

"You'd steal a pitchfork from the devil himself," he said finally.

"And be out of hell before he knew it was gone,” Will replied with a smile. 

"All right then," Robin decided. "The gold. Nothing else." 

"I wouldn't think of it. I'm no thief.” 

Will’s mock-serious expression broke into a wry smile which Robin returned with one of his own. He chuckled to himself before standing up. 

"Well then, we'd have better prepare. Because what's coming next won't be an easy feat by any means."

\---

Out of nowhere, Rumplestiltskin had appeared just outside the cells. And just seconds after he had spoken a soft thud could be heard from behind him. A guard, that had obviously been stood just around the corner, and that neither of the men had realised was there, had fallen unconscious to the ground. Presumably, Rumplestiltskin's doing.

Instinctively, Pinocchio had rushed to his feet and backed away from the door of his cell. Robin, deflated, had stayed exactly as he was.

Rumplestiltskin let out a thoughtful “hmm,” as he looked between the two men. 

“Funny,” he said casually. “I’d spent so long on the inside of a cage that I’d completely forgotten just how marvellous it feels to be on the other side of the bars.”

"Oh, well isn’t this just the perfect end to a perfect day," Robin commented dryly. "I can only assume you're here to take me back to your castle in an attempt to torture me again?"

"Not everything is about you, you know. I'm here to see _him!"_ Rumplestiltskin replied, pointing a finger at Pinocchio.

Fear and confusion flickered across the woodcarver's face.

"M-me? What could you possibly need from me?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled.

"Information, of course! You see, after Regina and the bandit rather frustratingly managed to worm their way out of my castle, I did a bit of eavesdropping."

“On us?” Robin queried.

“No,” he sneered. “On the little blue gnat and the rest of the heroes at the palace. I heard my name mentioned a couple of times and naturally I just had to go and see what all the fuss was about.” He paused. “Mostly, I was exceptionally disappointed with the conversation…But they did mention a very particular item that begins with the letter ‘w’…”

He looked expectantly at Pinocchio but was greeted only by a confused frown.

“The wardrobe?” Pinocchio guessed finally.

“Exactly so,” he confirmed. “And so of course, I had to go looking for it myself. By the time I arrived, Emma and Regina were long gone, and the two of you were busy being arrested by our good sheriff. _Perfect_ timing on my part, if I do say so myself. The moment you were both gone, I walked into your workshop. And lo and behold," he said, dramatically gesturing with his arms as he did so "there it was.”

“If you found what you wanted then why are you here?” 

“Well, during my little visit to the palace, I overheard mention that the wardrobe had been used by someone already. That all it's magic was gone. Now, I never did see Regina or the Saviour actually go through any wardrobe. But when I saw the bandit at your workshop, well, it was pretty easy to fill in the blanks.”

Rumplestiltskin held up an index finger lazily out in front of him. He leant a little closer to the bars as he continued with his speech.

“Now, do you see how those two things don’t quite add up? Because how could Regina and the Saviour use the wardrobe to get back home -you know, to the realm that’s supposedly far more real than this one- if it was devoid of any magic.” He held up his pointed finger to his chin instead. “Unless, of course, it wasn’t the same wardrobe. And, you know…” he said in a slow, purposeful voice. “I never did get the chance to look at the wardrobe your dear old father built, but I’d never have imagined it was still laying around picking up dust…”

“I dismantled it. Years ago.”

“So you did build a new one!” he said with a grin tugging slowly at the corners of his mouth.

“Yes.” 

“My word, you do work quickly,” Rumplestiltskin replied in a light-hearted manner. “Perhaps I’ll commission you to build me a new bureau sometime. My old one is a little dated now.”

“I’m not exactly taking on new commissions at the moment,” said Pinocchio, voice flat and deadpan.

“Well, about that… How would the two of you like to get out of here?” 

“You want to make a deal?” Robin asked.

“Indeed.” 

“Robin, do not make a deal with him,” 

"You," snapped Rumplestiltskin,"have been extremely unhelpful already. So you'd better not say another word, unless you'd like me to turn you back into a marionette."

Robin finally pulled himself up into a standing position.

“You’ll really free us in exchange for information?” 

Rumplestiltskin hummed as he pretended to be in thought. His eyes were focused upwards for a second before his gaze shot back down to stare directly at Robin.

“Yes,” he said finally.

“Then it’s a deal. What did you want to know?” 

“I want to know why I could still sense magic radiating from the wardrobe if it’s already been used by Regina and the princess. Oh,” he paused for a second, swivelling on his heel so he was clearly talking with Pinocchio instead. “And I’d also like to know who used the first wardrobe.” 

“I don’t know,” Pinocchio replied. 

Rumplestiltskin gave him a sharp, wicked smile. 

“I asked two questions dearie, and I would really like a real answer for at least one of them…”

“The person that used the wardrobe,” Pinocchio elaborated. “I don’t know who went through it.” 

“Really?” he said through bitter, closed teeth. “And what about question number one?” 

Pinocchio said nothing. 

“Staying quiet will get you nowhere,” he said in a sing-song voice. “In fact, it may even get you killed.”

“There’s still magic inside it,” Robin piped up. 

Rumplestiltskin squinted. 

“How…” he mumbled.

“There was enough magic for a third person to go through with them. Regina she…She offered me that third spot. But I didn’t take it.”

Rumplestiltskin smiled. 

"Well now, that _is_ good news."

"However," Robin added, "she seemed uncertain that I, or potentially anyone from this world, would be able to make it out alive to the other side. The magic itself is strong enough but she couldn't be sure that it would work since…well, since this world and everyone within it, isn't meant to be real."

Rumple smiled to himself.

"I see…” 

There was a quiet in the room. Robin and Pinocchio both waiting cautiously for the Dark One to say something more.

"So…you'll free us?" Robin asked tentatively after just a little too much time had passed.

Rumplestiltskin stared intently at him for a moment and Robin stared blankly back. The Dark One smiled.

"I’m sure I can find someone else to torture in your place. You're both free to go," he said, and with a wave of his hand the shackles on both the men's wrists fell to the floor and the cell doors swung ajar. "Hopefully, I won't be seeing you again. Good luck with your little bit of revenge," he addressed Robin. "And, urr, good luck building furniture, or whatever it is you like to do," he said indifferently to Pinocchio, before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

\---

_The Enchanted Forest_

_Around 33 years ago..._

  
  


"Well," Robin said as he lit the campfire he and Will had just made together. "I must say that went much better than I had hoped." 

"You doubted _me_? The great Will Scarlet," Will said in mock offence.

"Oh, absolutely. But we did get out relatively unscathed _and_ with the gold, so I cannot fault you for that." 

With this, Robin crouched down and leant across to open up the chest of gold. The coins shimmered as the light from the fire flickered across them. The chest itself was not overly large but it was almost filled to the brim with the treasure. Too much for one man to carry alone for very long. 

"Truly a marvel," said Robin in wonder, before taking one last look and re-closing the lid. 

Just as Will opened his mouth to say something in response, there came a terrible sound of a whistling wind. The men stood up abruptly and looked at each other, confused, as the earth almost seemed to rumble below them and a voice, clear as a bell, spoke out to them.

"To the thieves who took from me what is not theirs; keep the gold, if you must. It is nothing more than offal from the bowels of the earth. But return the other treasure you have stolen, for whilst it's power is alluring, it will only bring you misery." 

There was briefly a distant sound of trees in the wind and nothing more. The pair sat awkwardly for a moment before Robin stood up and spoke to Will in a voice that was nearly a shout. 

"What else did you take from Maleficent? I thought I was explicit when I said I didn't want to take anything other than the gold!"

"Woah, calm down mate," Will said, quickly standing up and holding his hands out in front of him in a placating manner. 

Robin rubbed his temples with one of his hands. He huffed, exasperated by the situation.

"This is exactly why I don't work with other people. You can't trust anyone but yourself."

"Listen, we got the gold didn't we? In fact, you keep it. All of it. And I'll just be on me way with my own little piece of treasure."

"No. You're going to tell me what you stole. What could possibly be worth risking everything for?" 

"Doesn't matter." 

"Yes, it does. You're risking not only your life by stealing but mine as well. So you yes, it does matter, and yes, you will show me exactly what you took. Otherwise, I _will_ take it from you by force." 

"Okay, okay," Will said hastily. "Ain't no need to get all aggressive on me."

Will proceeded to open up his satchel and fish out an almost plain looking mirror. The frame was ornate enough to be of some value, but it was nothing overly spectacular, and the mirror glass itself definitely needed a good polish. Evidently, there was much more to the mirror than its appearance let off. 

"What does it do?" Robin queried.

"It can take you somewhere else. Far away from here, to another realm."

"What on earth are you running away from that you need to get so far away?" 

Will didn't respond. 

"Or perhaps...who are you running away _with_?” Robin guessed. “Surely you would have already used the mirror to get away before we even got back to camp? This is about a woman, isn't it?" 

"Oh, clever you!" Will replied sarcastically. "Yes, it's about a woman. So can we just leave it at that and move on with our lives." 

"Take me along with you. To this place."

"You what?" 

"Don't worry, I'll hardly be in your way for too long. We can part ways once we reach this place."

"Mate, hold on a second. Didn't you _just_ ask me what I was runnin' away from? What about you? What is it exactly you're running from, then, huh?" 

Robin sighed. 

"An old enemy. One that I can't seem to dispatch of."

"What? The sheriff? That useless old git? An' you're willin' to start a life in a whole other realm for that? Just to get away?" 

Robin considered this for a moment before answering. 

"I cannot be here any longer. There’s nothing for me in the Enchanted Forest any more. Perhaps a new adventure somewhere else is precisely what I’m in need of right now. At least there I won't have to worry about being hunted down and on the run for the rest of my life." 

Will gave a hint of a smile to Robin.

"Well then, I s'pose you'd better grab a horse. We've gotta pick someone up about a half a day's journey away from here."

Just as the words left his mouth, there was a noise from the trees. 

"Looks as though we've got company," said Robin to Will, just as an arrow flew past his head. 

Robin pulled out his bow and drew his quiver. He indiscriminately began to fire arrows into the trees. However, because the only source of light came from their small campfire, the darkness made it difficult to see if any of his arrows had actually hit anyone. 

Another arrow narrowly missed him. Robin wouldn't have missed had he been the one hidden in the shadows. Whoever his enemy was, they didn't come close to possessing the level of archery skill that Robin did. But he and Will were still evidently outnumbered, and shooting arrows in the dark was getting him nowhere. 

"It's no good we have to..." Robin began to say, but he trailed off when he realised he was talking to no one. 

Will had gone.

\---

"I cannot believe you just told him everything!" Pinocchio said, the moment Rumplestiltskin had left the room. 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Robin replied, voice heavily sarcastic. "And there I was, under the impression that I was saving our lives?"

"If he goes through the wardrobe then helping Princess Emma and Regina will have been for nothing. Who knows what he's planning?" 

"What do you care? As far as I see it, sending the Dark One to a different realm will be doing this one a favour. And anyway," Robin continued, as he headed to the front of the cell and pushed the door fully open, "he likely would have found out what he needed to know, even without my help. All I did was speed things along and save my own life in the process."

Pinocchio stayed silent and in thought as Robin made his way over to the guard that lay unconscious at the end of the corridor. After carefully checking there was no-one lurking around the corner, he crouched down and began to search the guard. Deliberately ignoring the sheathed sword attached to the man's belt, Robin finally found what he was looking for. He pocketed the guard's dagger, and of course, his keys and coin purse. Just for good measure.

When he stood back up again and turned around he noticed that the other man hadn't yet moved from the cell. 

"If you're waiting for an actual apology, I'm afraid you won't be getting one. Come on, let's get out of here while we can." 

"I cannot leave," Pinocchio replied.

"Are you quite alright? What do you mean?" 

"I mean, I cannot leave. " Pinocchio sighed. "Robin, I have a house here. A home. And the sheriff knows where it is. Either I go back and there and wait to be arrested again, or... or I leave all of it behind. And I can't do that. I cannot live my life on the run." 

Robin almost rebutted the claim. _But really,_ he thought, _what was there to argue against?_

"You're right," he agreed. "Stay here and serve your time. A life on the run, well, it isn't much of a life at all. And actually, your staying behind is definitely for the best considering what’s about to unfold. When I kill Nottingham, they won’t be able to point any fingers at you. Not if you’re locked up-”

Pinocchio quickly snapped out of whatever thought he seemed to be in the middle of and interrupted Robin before he could talk any further. "Woah, wait, no-no-, hold on a second," he said, frown deepening. "You're not actually going to _kill_ him?" 

Robin raised an eyebrow. 

"Well, yes. It's not as though I didn't mention it beforehand."

Pinocchio let out a humourless laugh. "I guess but..." he shook his head slightly. “Well, to be honest, I thought you were just exaggerating. That it was an empty threat." 

"I'm not one to give empty threats, I'm afraid." 

“What happened to being more like the other you?” Pinocchio asked as Robin started to slowly walk back towards him. 

“I never said that. That’s something you insinuated. I said that I didn’t want to be compared to him. And now, here you are proving my exact point, comparing me to someone you’ve never even met.” 

"Robin, don't do this. For your own sake." 

Robin slowly approached the cell, doing his best to look deep in contemplation.

"You truly think that I should leave things as they are?" Robin asked, as he neared the cell door. "That I should forgo my revenge on Nottingham. Take the chance to leave whilst I still can?"

Pinocchio looked at Robin with a resolute gaze. 

"Yes." 

"Well," said Robin, moving one final step closer. "I suppose this is goodbye then."

Before Pinocchio could react, Robin had yanked the door closed and used the guard's stolen key to lock it shut. _Lucky._ He thought. _That he had managed to pick the right key first time._

"What are you doing?" asked a bewildered Pinocchio.

"I'm going to do what I've been trying to do for a long time. _Without_ some all-too-nosy-woodcarver getting in my way and trying to teach me moral lessons." 

Robin turned to leave.

"Wait, please!" 

Robin turned to look at Pinocchio, who was staring right at him. 

"Just...just think about it," Pinocchio said earnestly. "I mean, really think about it, before you decide what to do."

"I've had more than enough time to think about this, believe me."

\---

"I'm not changing my mind," Henry said, unyielding as he stormed through the corridors of the palace.

After he had left the council it hadn’t been long before he had been followed out by several of its members. All except the head of the royal guard and the Blue Fairy were dismissed from his presence almost immediately. Henry had explained to them that he would be leaving the palace once more to search for his mother again. And, since then, they had both been attempting to talk him into staying.

"Sire, please reconsider. The kingdom needs you here right now," the royal guard tried to explain as he walked alongside Henry at the same urgent pace.

"No,” he argued, “they need to feel safe. To know that the Evil Queen cannot and will not harm a single other person. The rest can be handled without my assistance. See to it that it’s taken care of. I'm going to find my mother and protect my kingdom from the threat of that witch."

The guard stopped walking and allowed Henry to continue on without him.

"As you wish, Your Highness," he said, before turning on his heel and making his way back and down the corridor.

The Blue Fairy stayed steadfast at his side.

“Unless you have a way to find my mother, I’d like to be left alone to find her myself,” he said tersely.

“I may have something that can defeat the Dark One,” she replied in a hushed tone.

“What?” 

Henry stopped walking for a moment. The fairy stared at him with a hard, worried expression. 

“There is something that can stop him but this will not be an easy plan to discuss out loud. I cannot be sure but…” she looked to her side nervously. “I fear that I felt his presence earlier, if only for a moment.” 

Henry cast his gaze to the floor, his mind shuffling through thoughts and ideas. Real responsibility was a heavy burden to carry and not one he was finding at all pleasant.

“Then what should we do?” he asked finally.

“I will cast a protection spell around the weapon that is to defeat him. A spell cast from light magic that will prevent him from being able to use dark magic against the item or it’s user. For I fear that if he were to steal this item from our grasp then he would become unstoppable.”

“If you think that this will work, then we will all follow as you command.” 

“If we can find the opportunity to use it…then it should work. But the protection spell will take a little time to cast. And it will not be unbreakable. I only hope that it should be enough…” 

“Then in the meantime,” Henry began as he started to walk again. “I will continue the search for my mother.”

The Blue Fairy nodded solemnly before she flew back down the corridor from which they had been walking. And with a hardened face and a steely resolve, Henry made his way down the palace steps and across the courtyard towards the stables.

\---

_The Enchanted Forest_

_Around 33 years ago..._

Quiver still drawn, but with no targets to aim at, Robin knew his efforts were futile. And so, he made a run for it. He cringed as he fled straight past the chest of gold they had worked so hard to get. Too awkward to try and grab even a handful of gold from it, and most certainly too heavy to carry and still successfully outrun whoever was after him. Evidently, Will had experienced a similar train of thought when he'd escaped. 

It didn't take long for Robin to get away. It seemed as though whoever had been chasing him had actually been far more interested in the huge chest of gold than they had been in him or Will. Robin leant up against a pine tree and took a moment to catch his breath. The night air was a calming presence as he rested, but it wouldn't last. Soon the cool air would feel bitter and harsh.

Now, having left almost everything back at the camp, Robin had nothing. 

He stayed leant against the tree for a few more seconds before his brief moment of reprieve was interrupted by the sound of someone stepping on a fallen twig. Robin drew his bow again, grabbing what he soon discovered was his last arrow. Cautiously, he turned towards the direction he had heard the noise come from. 

"Oi, don't shoot. It's only me," came a familiar voice from the shadows.

Robin lowered his weapon as Will stepped closer, the other man just about visible in what little moonlight filtered through the trees.

"I thought you would have been gone for good by now," said Robin bitterly.

"Nah," Will admitted. "You did help me to get this after all," he said, patting his satchel. "Now, what do you say we get a move on so we can actually use it." 

Robin sighed. Then gave Will the tiniest of smiles. "Let's," he said, as the pair began to carefully make their way through the woods and to their next destination.

\---

Robin was cautious as he sneaked down the corridor but there was hardly any need to be. It seemed that the guard they had seen collapse upon the Dark One's arrival wasn't the only one that had been knocked out cold. 

Robin was pleased to note, however, that Nottingham himself hadn't been knocked unconscious. He was sat casually in the sheriff's office, chatting to one of the guards, both oblivious to anything that had happened outside of the room. Silently, he approached the doorway. He took a moment to stand by the edge of the door frame, mentally preparing himself. 

This was it. He was finally here, with his chance at revenge. 

\---

_The Enchanted Forest_

_Around 33 years ago..._

"Well, here we are," announced Will as the pair finally reached a plain looking cabin.

Having walked all through the night and some of the morning, the pair were exhausted. But they were both relieved at finally reaching somewhere they could rest. 

Situated in a small clearing, the house appeared unassuming. The straw covered roof had, over time, been blanketed in moss and dead leaves. The wood exterior, whilst not rotting, still looked relatively worn down. The cabin could probably comfortably house two people, so long as they were content with always being in each other's personal space. It was cosy, in its own way. But not comfortable. 

"Anastasia!" Will called out excitedly,as they neared the house. "Ana!" 

The door to the house swung open wildly and a young woman in a pale pink dress came rushing out. 

"Oh, Will!" she called out to him. And then she paused when she noticed Robin. "Oh," she said, face beginning to fall, “hello?” 

"Don't worry about him," Will said before pulling Anastasia into a tight embrace.

"You were gone so long, I was starting to get worried," she confessed.

As the pair separated from their hug, Robin held out a hand towards Anastasia.

"Robin," he said, introducing himself. "Of Locksley," he added.

"Anastasia," she said with a reserved smile as reached out her arm and accepted the handshake. And then, enthusiasm returning as she looked to Will, “did you get it?" 

Will nodded, unable to stop himself from grinning back. 

"Come on, let's go inside and have a look."

All three of them made their way into the cabin, Robin shutting the door behind them. Only then did Will produce the looking glass from his bag. He held it out in front of Anastasia with both hands.

"Oh! It's beautiful," Anastasia said, eyes wide. "I-is it real?" 

"As real as they come," Will confirmed.

Anastasia grinned as she touched the mirror's frame, in disbelief. 

She paused in thought and then looked up to Will with a serious expression. 

"My Mum came by earlier."

"What?" Will said, softly as let hands drop slightly. Letting one hand go of the mirror he reached out with his free hand to gently grasp the side of Anastasia's arm.

"She knew that we were planning to run away together," Anastasia continued, eyes threatening to tear up. "Told me that I'd be throwing away my life if I went with you."

"And what did you say?"

Anastasia smiled and grasped Will's free hand in both of hers.

"That I loved you. And that I wasn't going to give that up. Not for anything." 

Will's face completely softened. 

"I love you too, Ana."

The couple shared a heartfelt kiss and Robin stood by awkwardly waiting for them to finish. After a moment, he tentatively cleared his throat.

"As much as I hate to interrupt, I fear we should perhaps get moving."

The couple stepped away from one another, only slightly embarrassed. 

"Right you are," Will said, as he tossed the mirror to the ground. 

As soon as it touched the wooden floorboards, the glass melted into a silver puddle, subtly moving and rippling as it sat there. None of the three had ever seen anything like it before. 

"Okay then," Anastasia said, "what are we waiting for? Let's go." She clutched Will's hand tightly in her own. 

Robin stared at the shimmering pool of liquid on the floor. He almost let hesitation get the better of him, feet seemingly stuck to the ground, staring back at his broken and warped reflection. And then, as Anastasia and Will leapt straight into the portal, he found himself immediately following suit. 

Robin leapt into the unknown.

\---

Wordlessly, Robin charged into the room where Nottingham was sat. Targeting the guard first, he sucker punched the man in the face. The guard collapsed to the floor and, as he hit the ground, Robin delivered a swift kick just for good measure. Nottingham, who had now stood up from his chair, made a beeline straight for the doorway. He was too slow.

Robin sprinted over to him and roughly grabbed the front of his shirt. He pulled him away from the exit and slammed him against the wall. Before Nottingham had any time to recover, Robin had given him a punch to the face. And then, just as quickly, he held up the dagger he had stolen from the guard to Nottingham's throat. 

"H-how did you get out?" Nottingham managed to choke out.

"I don't really think that question should be your top priority right now, do you?" Robin said through gritted teeth."Now." He pressed the dagger a little harder into Nottingham's neck. "I've waited so many years to do this."

A noise from the door drew the attention of both men. 

"Robin, stop!" begged an out of breath Pinocchio. 

"What the...H-how in the hell did you get out?" asked a baffled Robin.

"I picked the lock. It doesn't matter," Pinocchio explained quickly, only confusing Robin further. "Robin, you can't do this." 

"No, actually, I think you'll find that I can." 

Pinocchio shook his head. 

"Please. You-You should just leave while you have the chance to. Robin, stealing is one thing, but murder? I'm not sure you can come back from something like that."

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied curtly, with absolutely no intention of doing so. "However, I think perhaps you should be the one leaving, Pinocchio. I promise I'll be sure to make the right decision, in your absence."

Pinocchio didn't respond. 

"Now," Robin said, turning back to Nottingham, "where was I?"

Surprising everyone in the room, Pinocchio rushed towards Robin. He managed to grab hold of the other man and tackle him to the ground, bringing Nottingham down alongside them in the process. 

They all impacted the floor with a heavy thwack. 

"Are you _kidding_ me?" cried Robin as he pushed Pinocchio off of him and scrambled to gather his bearings. 

Just as he managed to find his footing, he caught a glimpse of Nottingham exiting the room. 

"Dammit!" he exclaimed. 

"Robin, just leave while you can,” Pinocchio implored as he started to pull himself up off the ground. 

Robin opted to ignore him completely and sprinted out the door after the sheriff. 

\---

_Wonderland_

_Around 32 years ago..._

"You should have just left while you had the chance," came the booming voice of a burly man. A man that presently had his sword held up to Robin's throat. 

Robin had been in Wonderland for several months now. And, up until this moment, had somehow managed to stay out of trouble. 

Wonderland, Robin had quickly discovered, was a strange and often frightening place. The kind of place where left felt like right and right felt like left. Everything was topsy turvy and all over the place, and Robin didn't care for it one bit. 

With no desire to tag along as a third wheel, Robin had left Will and Anastasia almost as soon as they had arrived through the portal together. He had run into Will on only a handful of occasions after that first day, and it had been months now since he had heard even a whisper about the other man’s whereabouts. Will and Anastasia had seemed happy enough in the little wagon they had set up, and Robin had been happy enough to leave them be and stay camped out in the woods by himself. 

But strange creatures live in Wonderland, which Robin found out the hard way, when he was twice attacked in his sleep by one. Luckily for him, he escaped both times without a scratch. 

And that hadn't been the only thing that was keeping him up at night. He missed the Enchanted Forest. He missed Marian, or at least the memories he had of her when she was still there. And, he had been loath to even admit it but, he missed the game of cat and mouse he and Nottingham had.

Thoughts like these had kept him up many a night. And one day, he reached his breaking point. He had gone searching for a way out of Wonderland. A way back to the Enchanted Forest. 

The Caterpillar, Robin had heard, was one of the most powerful creatures in Wonderland. And whilst his magic could not rival that of the Queen of Hearts, he was still a dangerous individual with a small army of mercenaries at his disposal. 

Naturally, Robin had attempted to steal from him. And, naturally, this had ended badly for him. 

After having successfully stolen a magic bean, as well as several small trinkets that the Caterpillar had locked away in the back of his den, Robin had been spotted. And then chased. And then caught by a particularly large and aggressive man. 

The man in question was heavily built, more muscle than fat, and was also particularly tall. He wore a tan leather shirt, his chest somewhat visible through the joints where the leather panels met at the front and sides, and over his eyes a pair of glasses that were typical to Wonderland’s eclectic fashion style. They were made of leather and what looked like gold or some similar alloy, and the glass was dark and cloudy. Robin couldn't see the man's eyes through them, but he didn't need to in order to tell that the man was scowling at him. 

"The Caterpillar told you the last time you were snoopin' around to stay out of his business. If you didn't wanna owe him a debt."

Sword at his throat still, Robin dared to reply to the man's comment.

"It appears that I'm just especially good at getting myself into trouble, I'm afraid.” He gave the man a tight lipped smile. “However, I'm also rather good at getting myself _out_ of trouble as well."

With haste, he then swiftly gave the man a particularly hard kick. The man doubled over and Robin shoved him to the ground in order to make his getaway.

He had everything he needed now. He just needed an open location, away from the Caterpillar's collectors, and he could make his escape back to Misthaven.

\---

In his panic, Nottingham had run back the way Robin had initially travelled, towards the cells, and it didn't take long for Robin to reach him. As he neared, the sheriff swirled around to face Robin and was forced to back up against the wall. 

Robin, dagger in hand, approached Nottingham with caution. Hand clutched tightly to his cut throat, Nottingham said nothing as Robin came closer. He simply stared at him; a cold, spiteful fury in his eyes.

And then, so subtly Robin almost missed it, Nottingham's eyes looked to his right, just over Robin's shoulder. Unsure, and if he was completely honest, uncaring, if it was a guard or Pinocchio, Robin spun around and hit the man in the face. 

The guard stumbled back, but to Robin's dismay he hadn't been alone. A second guard had already appeared and taken the opportunity to punch Robin in the face. _And damn did he hit hard,_ thought Robin. His ears ringing and head dizzy, he did his best to recover from the punch, but it was already too late. One of the guards pushed him to the floor and, with the help of the second guard, pinned him to the ground. 

There was an odd sort of coughing sound that Robin could only assume came from Nottingham. Then, the sheriff spoke up in a hoarse voice. 

"Lock him back up. And this time, make sure he's actually secured."

\---

Henry mounted his horse and started to ride out of the palace gates. He barely made it even a few paces before he noticed several of his knights riding towards him. Since they showed no signs of moving out of his way, Henry was forced to stop his horse completely and patiently await their arrival. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Henry addressed the knight in the centre. "You're not going to stop me." 

The knight shook his head. 

"It's not that, Your Highness. We came to inform you...We have news in relation to Princess Emma and the Evil Queen."

\---

After having searched him and taken back the keys, coins and dagger that he stole, Robin was unceremoniously hauled back to his cell. Still seething with rage, but also completely exhausted, he found he had very little fight left in him as he was re-shackled and locked up in a cell for the third time that day. In order to make sure he was fully detained, he was sat down on the floor and the manacles on his hands were raised above his head. From there, they were attached to a metal loop in the wall. 

With Robin chained up and the door locked, the guards all exited the room, bar one. Robin noted that Nottingham hadn't come in with the guards. _Probably trying to bandage up that scratch of a cut on his neck,_ thought Robin bitterly. The remaining jail guard was stood stoically against the wall in front of the cells. Very obviously actually guarding the cells this time, instead of lurking around the corner and eavesdropping like the previous one had been. 

It was only after they left that Robin looked across to his right to see Pinocchio, already back in the cell and tied up in much the same way Robin was. After that initial glance, Robin decided that he was going to refuse to acknowledge the other man's presence entirely.

There was a silence in the room for a little while before Pinocchio attempted to break it. 

"I'm sorr-"

"Don't," said Robin, voice clipped.

A moment passed before Pinocchio tried again. 

"Look, it's just, I know how killing someone can weigh on a person."

Robin raised a puzzled eyebrow. 

" _You_...?" 

Pinocchio shook his head.

"No, no...not me personally, but, urm, a good friend of mine. My grandparents, I never even met them, they died before I was born. This friend, he, urm..." Pinocchio cleared his throat as he struggled to get the words out. "...He was responsible for their death. It was an accident but... they did die because of him."

Robin, shocked as he was, wasn't sure he wanted to hear about the puppeteer's baggage. But, other than insisting he stop talking, there wasn't a lot he could do to stop it. Even _with_ him insisting, Robin was sure he would probably tell him anyway.

"He tried to make it up to my father by staying by his side," Pinocchio continued. "Doing what he could to protect and help him. And he even did the same for a portion of my life too. But there were still moments that were...less than pleasant. Arguments about one thing that turned into arguments about my grandparents." Pinocchio sighed. "As much as he tried to forgive him, there was still a part of my father that was so _angry_ with him. A tiny part of him that could never ever forgive what he had done, no matter what." 

"I'm genuinely very sorry to hear that but I hardly see how it's comparable here."

"Well," Pinocchio explained slowly, "the circumstances might be pretty different but the end result is the same. And, no matter how..." He paused, searching for an adjective. "How despicable the sheriff is, it's still a murder that you _will_ feel the weight of. Forever. Anyone with a good conscience -and Robin, I believe you do have a good conscience- will carry that weight with them. And, it _will_ change you in some way."

Caught between feeling as though the other man still had no idea what he was talking about, and thinking that he might actually have some valid points; Robin didn’t respond.

"Also, in all honesty," Pinocchio carried on after a moment of quiet, "I tried to talk you out of killing him for your own sake. But when I resorted to pushing you? That was for _my_ sake. As much as I wish I'd found another way of stopping you, I couldn't just stand there and watch you murder someone in front of me while I stood by and did nothing. Even someone like the sheriff." 

There was a brief silence again before Robin spoke in a quiet voice.

"I...I understand what you're saying. And, I understand why you did what you did. But it's just...I've spent so long being so desperate for revenge that I'm not sure what I'd do without it. I figured that at least, if I could fulfil my goal and kill Nottingham, I might feel something. And that I could move on with my life after that."

"It would probably only make you feel empty inside." Pinocchio suggested 

"So, nothing new there then," Robin muttered bitterly, before he even knew the words were leaving his mouth. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this honest with someone. Or, for that matter, with himself. 

"I think that, perhaps..." Robin continued. “Perhaps the real reason I didn't go through that wardrobe wasn't because I was living in the shadow of, well, of myself. I mean, maybe a little but...I think I was scared I would lose my chance for revenge. And if I lost that? I'd be losing everything I had left. I'd tried that once before, you know. To run away from it all. But it all came full circle in the end anyway." He took a deep breath out. “And I ended up exactly where I’d started.” 

\---

_Wonderland_

_Around 31 years ago..._

  
  


The moment Robin reached a clearing far enough away from the Underland, he plucked the magic bean from his pocket. Thinking of the Enchanted Forest he hastily threw the bean to the floor. After a moment's pause, the ground began to crumble in on itself and a green light began to swirl like a whirlpool within the earth.

But before Robin could jump in, he felt someone tug on his arm and pull him to the ground, right next to the portal. The masked woman wrestled Robin to the floor. She was obviously one of the Caterpillar's collectors, looking to bring Robin -and the things he stole- back to the Caterpillar for a reward. 

Robin's heart was racing. The portal wouldn't stay open forever and he couldn't let his chance at leaving Wonderland disappear. The woman unsheathed a dagger, but Robin was too quick and managed to bat it out of her hand before she had a chance to use it. He then rolled to the side, the Collector still holding him, and with a lot of effort, managed to throw them both into the portal just as the gateway began to close. 

They reached the other side of the portal with a heavy thud. Before the woman could react, Robin hit her across the face, knocking her unconscious. He clambered to his feet. It looked as though he had probably landed somewhere in the Enchanted Forest, but he couldn’t be certain, and this was almost definitely forest area that he didn’t recognise. Quickly, he checked himself to make sure that he had everything on him that he came through the portal with, and then sprinted off into the dimly lit woods.

\---

The knight’s face was serious as he spoke with Henry.

“You had better come quickly.”

"What is it?" Henry asked, trying not to seem too hopeful. "What news do you have?" 

"We have just been told that there are two men at the sheriff's station. They have been placed there under suspicion of helping the Evil Queen to escape."

Henry's eyes grew wide.

"Take me to see them, right away."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, it genuinely means the world to me!
> 
> Apologies for the sheer length of the chapter. Since I laid out each chapter a little like an episode of OUAT, they each naturally ended up around the 10k mark. If the general consensus is that I should split every chapter into smaller, more manageable parts, then I might consider doing so. 


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